Not your typical Valentine's Day!

3.5 Stars
This collection of stories does not cover simple, romantic Valentine's Day dates. Each of these stories seems to find something embarrassing, awkward, and yes, fun too. I enjoy some of the stories better than others. I have a hard time reading stories about people in extremely embarrassing situations and some of these do have those. One thing I like about A Timeless Romance Anthologies is that the stories will end on a positive note. So even as I'm cringing while I'm reading some of these stories, I know that there will be a positive resolution.
If you are looking for pure romance, this isn't that collection. Yes, there is romance, but working through some sort of conflict to get to that point is the bulk of the stories.
Warnings: None
I would let my 15 year old read this collection.
received ebook in exchange for an honest review

by Brooke's Bookson February 05, 2017

0 person found this review helpful

0 people found this review helpful

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

Thanks for your feedback!

Another fun collection!

A Brush with the Law- Janette Rallison – 5 stars
W.O.W. Just wow! Hilariously funny situarions, clever dialogue, wonderful descriptions and a gentlemanly, hot policeman. What more could a reader ask for? I'll be reading EVERY other book this clever author writes!
Every Occasion – Heather B. Moore – 4 1/2 stars
A lovely novella...I like that the main characters already have history, because sometimes in novellas, love happens a bit faster than I think believable. These two have history and so their quick connection is believable and meant-to-be. It was unique in that one of them came from an abusive situation. We aren't told many details, but enough to understand her character. I liked the facing-the-past-and-overcoming-it angle. Ms. Moore is a very good writer, I always enjoy her romances!
Hold Your Breath – Jenny Proctor – 4 stars
At first, I groaned because this was just so very swim-team-esque, but then the author started exploring the characters, their hardships and what got them to where they were when we joined their story. Well-written with characters who are a whole lot deeper than the swimming pools they haunt. A satisfying and unique romance!
The Ultimate Bachelor Challenge – Annette Lyon – 3 ½ stars
This is very tech-y at the beginning, so I had to struggle a bit to keep up, but then it goes along really well. Lots of romantic looks, touches, etc. But, after a kissing session, it just stops! I don't expect a novella to go on forever, but there was so much left of the night and so many challenges that she could have helped him with! As a reader, it was frustrating. This is one of those stories where the love, on the guy's side anyway, is too quick with too little information. At one point, he says that she's “smart and funny and gorgeous”. The 'gorgeous' obviously doesn't need to be developed, but only we know the other parts of her character. She isn't given time to show him the “smart and funny” parts of herself. Helping Connor with more live challenges could have filled that gap. Then, he could have kissed her!
That I had a bit of a rant about this book means that I really liked it and wanted more. I enjoyed what Ms. Lyon wrote, but saw such potential that was simply untapped.
Deal Breakers – Heather Tullis – 3 stars
This was a sweet romance and well-written. A unique situation and two very likable characters. As mentioned in one of my reviews above, I like that these characters knew one another from the past and so their falling for each other is more believable. They do have some issues from the past to work on, but not enough to make the reader worry for even a moment that they won't figure it out.
Hey, Helen! - Sarah M. Eden – 4 1/2 stars
I was so excited when I saw that there was a novella by Ms. Eden in this anthology! She's been a favorite of mine ever since I discovered her. She didn't disappoint! A delightful story, well-written and believable. Character-driven, I loved that the heroine rescued the hero, for a change. Well-done!

by Austen-Heyer-fanon February 17, 2017

0 person found this review helpful

0 people found this review helpful

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

Thanks for your feedback!

Great collection!!

I love the Timeless Romance Anthologies!! It’s nice to have shorter stories that I can sit down and read when I don’t have long. I also enjoy finding new authors through the collections. And the thing I love the most – the authors are so talented and write such wonderful stories!!
The Valentine’s Day theme was so fun! I enjoyed each of these unique stories. I can see myself pulling this out each February for a little Valentine’s romance. *sigh*
A Brush with the Law by Janette Rallison
Talk about a bad Valentine’s Day!! So funny! I loved Bethany’s humor and the way she used it to help her deal with everything that was happening. Officer Hansen had such a good heart. I enjoyed the story, and the sweet ending.
Every Occasion by Heather B. Moore
I loved this second chance story! Maurie and Grant are both wonderful people that truly deserved happiness. And Trent was just adorable!
Hold Your Breath by Jenny Proctor
I really enjoyed this story! I loved the way Kayla and Nate helped each other and made each other better. This is the first thing I’ve read by Jenny Proctor. I would definitely read more by her.
The Ultimate Bachelor Challenge by Annette Lyon
This was a fun story! I really liked Sam. Her Valentine’s Day marathons sound epic. Connor is such a gentleman. I loved that he always wanted to make Sam feel comfortable. I wish this story had kept going. I wasn’t ready to leave them yet.
Deal Breakers by Heather Tullis
I’m so glad Colette got a second chance with Drew! I’m not sure how she let him go the first time. Of course, she isn’t either. :) I loved their interactions with the family at the airport. I was glad we got to see what happened after the airport as well.
Hey, Helen! by Sarah M. Eden
I loved this story!! It was obvious what great friends Helen and Neil were. It was definitely time for the next step! I loved them both and loved the way things unfolded between them.
I received a complimentary copy of the book. I have given my honest opinion.

by MomIsReadingon March 14, 2017

0 person found this review helpful

0 people found this review helpful

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

Thanks for your feedback!

great collection of clean romances

This collection of six Valentine's Day novellas was a lot of fun. Great choice for a light-hearted V-day read.
A Brush with the Law by Janette Rallision
Bethany Daniels thinks that the worst thing that will happen on Valentine's Day is her blind date...and while that could be bad enough, after being pulled over for running a red light and then arrested for a crime she didn't commit (while dressed only in her unmentionables), this Valentine's Day has the potential to go down as the worst in history.
This was a great start to the collection; it totally made me laugh out loud. It was funny but also not so far-fetched as to be unbelievable. As soon as I finished reading this story, I wanted to go back and reread it!
Every Occasion by Heather B. Moore
Maurie Ledbetter has moved back to her hometown--to the home she lived in with her mother before she was removed and placed in foster care. When she calls a local handyman to get some repairs done,she isn't expecting Grant Shelton--her crush from her teenage years. She's happy to see him, and while attraction soon flares up between them, Grant has something to tell Maurie that could derail their relationship before it really gets going.
More serious than the first story in the collection, this was well-written and hopeful, showing how Maurie put a painful past behind her. Grant is a cutie--sweet and serious and an all-around good guy. I liked seeing how things came together for them.
Hold Your Breath by Jenny Proctor
Kayla isn't going to let anything get in the way of her dreams of making the Olympics, so even when she's home for vacation, she's swimming and training every chance she can. But when she runs into her former crush and high school swim teammate, Nate Hanson, she can't deny she's still attracted to him. But getting involved is a risk she just can't take if she wants to achieve her dreams, right?
Another fun read. Pretty light-hearted but also realistic as it shows the dilemma of trying to balance even the good things that life brings.
The Ultimate Bachelor Challenge by Annette Lyon
Sam is just trying to do some laundry in preparation for Valentine's Day--and hopefully, her boyfriend's proposal--but instead, she finds herself crossing paths with Connor Wynn. Connor has reluctantly accepted a challenge for the sake of charity, in which he has to compete with another YouTuber to see who is the ultimate bachelor...which leads him to a laundromat where he meets Sam and gets her involved in completing a couple tasks for the challenge.
This one was a little less appealing to me; there were some elements that seemed a little less believable to me (like, really, her boyfriend did what he does on Valentine's Day? He couldn't have picked any other day to do it?), but Connor was a totally sweetie and Sam is fun and spunky.
Deal Breakers by Heather Tullis
When weather strands her in the Denver airport, Colette runs into Drew, a former college friend who she burned bridges with when she dated another guy instead of him. In the day and a half that they're stuck in the airport, they reconnect and find that there's still a spark there--but is it enough to build on?
This one was the weakest story in the collection for me; I felt like the author TOLD about their connection more than actually showing it. And while it's realistic that they'd have a lot of baggage to sort out and talk about, it wasn't super interesting to read about. However, having been stranded in a few airports myself, I can say I wish I'd run into a handsome guy when that happened.
Hey, Helen by Sarah M. Eden
Helen, an advice column writer, is working on her Valentine's Day themed columns, and as usual, her neighbor and best friend Neil, is her sounding board for her ideas. As they talk about Valentine's Day, Neil tries to figure out if there's a good way to tell Helen his feelings for her are more than just friendly.
True to form, Sarah Eden provides great dialogue and humor in this story. She's awesome at including lovable and laughable banter, and this story didn't disappoint.I also loved the low-key approach to V-day in this story.
Another enjoyable collection the Timeless Romance series.
I received a free copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own.